1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to conventional fixed blade knives/shears and other cutter type devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to blade and anvil type cutting devices or tools that can be easily converted to conventional fixed blade knives/shears type cutting devices. This invention more specifically relates to a utility cutting device with a blade holder and a movable or pivoted blade clamp changing mechanism for easily removing razor cutting blades from the utility cutting device without the use of any tools. Further, the present invention relates to a razor blade storage compartment within a handle gripping cover positioned on at least one of the pair of pivoted handle of the utility cutting device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Prior art conventional fixed-blade knives/shears define utility cutting devices or tools with a pair of handles, a fixed cutting blade with a cutting section and an anvil member. One of the handle is connected to the cutting blade and the other handle is connected to the anvil member. The pair of handles is affixed to one another by a pivot member and a spring element that allows the handles to be pivoted in a scissor movement action towards an open position. This scissor movement allows the cutting blade to cut material or objects that are placed on the anvil below the cutting blade, as the cutting blade is moved towards the anvil member, when a user forces or squeezes the handles together.
It is well known in the prior art to have blade and anvil type cutters that can be converted between a knife type cutting and a blade and anvil type cutting. These types of cutting devices or tools include a knife member and a companion conversion member that locks onto a knife member when desired. At least a portion of the knife is sharpened to provide a secondary cutting edge, and the conversion member locks onto the knife member by a pivoting means top provide an anvil member that works in opposition to the secondary cutting edge for cutting materials or objects. These blade and anvil type cutting tools or devices can be quickly and easily converted between a knife type cutting and a blade and anvil type cutting by removably attaching the conversion member.
Also, it is well known in the prior art to have razor blade changing mechanisms associated with utility cutting devices or tools for replacing the razor blades of utility cutting devices or tools with the use and without the use of tools.
Furthermore, it is well known in the prior art to have razor blade storage compartments within a handle member or a body portion of utility cutting devices or tools.
Finally, it is well known in the prior art to have spring or biasing elements and locking mechanisms cooperatively associated with pivoted handles of utility cutting devices or tools.
There are many shortcomings in the above prior art cutting devices or tools. One of the shortcomings being that the prior art blade changing mechanisms are too cumbersome and requires too many parts or movements. Many of the prior art blade changing mechanisms have to use tools for replacing razor blades. Many of the blade changing tools are bulky and time consuming in replacing razor blades of the prior art utility cutting devices. Some of these tools have to be incorporated or attached to the prior art utility cutting devices or tools, which take up additional space. Even for the prior art cutting devices or tools that do not utilize tools, they have to be shaken vigorously so that the razor blades are loosen which can cause the razor blade to fly out, which can cause serious injury to someone or utilizes more force to remove them.
Another shortcoming is that the body of utility cutting devices or tools has to be machined or designed to include a space or compartment to store replacement razor blades. Such space or compartment design can increase cost and size of the utility cutting devices or tools. Also, this design can take away from the aesthetics of the utility cutting devices or tools.
As a result of the above shortcomings, various types of well known blade and anvil type cutting tools or devices and shear cutting tools with spring-biased handles, an anvil, a cutting blade, blade changing mechanisms and handle locking means in part or in total are disclosed in the following prior art patents.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,336,667 teaches a pruning cutter with a pair of spring biased handles with a locking feature, a screw clamp and blade holder assembly, an anvil and a cutting razor blade.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,772,783 teaches a hand clipper/cutter with a pair of spring biased handles with a locking feature, a screw clamp and blade holder assembly, an anvil and a cutting razor blade.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,497,554 teaches a plier-type hand cutting tool with a pair of handles with cutting edges and a non-tool replaceable blade mechanism that is pivoted to an open position for replacing razor blades.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,625,951 teaches a combination hand cutting tool with a pair of handle plates and a non-tool replaceable blade mechanism that is pivoted to an open position for replacing razor blades.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,890,293 teaches a hand cutting tool with a pair of pivoted frame handles and a blade storage mechanism for storing replaceable blades. A blade holder assembly releases a razor blade by a manual screw means.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,000,137 teaches a hand cutting tool with a pair of handles and a blade storage mechanism for storing replaceable blades. A blade holder assembly releases a razor blade by a manual screw means.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,260,279 teaches a combination hand cutting tool with a pair of handles with one of the handles having a razor blade and tool storage compartment, one of the handles having an anvil, the other handle having a razor blade and a razor blade holder with screw clamp means for replacing razor blades.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,269,542 teaches a multi-purpose hand cutting tool with a pair of pivoted frame handles and a blade storage compartment for storing replaceable blades. This multi-purpose hand cutting tool includes a blade holder assembly that releases a razor blade by a manual screw means. A plurality of tools may be packaged as a kit with one of the handles.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,625,888 teaches a multi-purpose hand cutting tool with a pair of pivoted spring-biased handles and a blade storage compartment with a handle grip cover for storing replaceable blades. This multi-purpose hand cutting tool includes a razor blade holder screw clamp assembly that releases a razor blade by a manual screw means.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,698,099 teaches a prior art convertible knife assembly with a blade-and anvil portion and a pair of spring-biased pivoted handles.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,080,455 teaches a prior art handheld convertible kitchen knife appliance having a blade-and anvil portion and a pair of spring-biased pivoted handles.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2005/00500735 teaches a hand cutting tool with a pair of pivoted spring-biased handles with a blade storage compartment in one of the pivoted handles and a locking feature for the pivoted handles. A sliding handle grip cover being positioned over the one pivoted handle for exposing the blade storage compartment to gain access to stored replacement razor blades. A razor blade holder and screw clamp assembly that releases a razor blade by a manual screw means.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2006/0207101 teaches a hand cutter with a pair of spring biased handles with a locking feature, a fastener clamp and blade holder assembly, an anvil and a cutting razor blade.
Additional prior art patents of the hand-held blade-and-anvil type and other shear type cutting tools are hereby recited of interest without further description thereof. Such prior art are disclosed in U.S. Design Pat. Nos. D387,965, D398,499, D422,463, D427,036, D434,955, D483,627 and D503,875.
Although these prior art cutting devices or tools might be creative, and well-thought-out inventions, that function well for their intended purposes at the time of their creation, but some, if not all are cumbersome and not timely in replacing cutting razor blades from a blade holder and blade clamp assembly, utilizes too much space in the body of the cutting devices or tools to define razor blade storage compartments and requires unnecessary tools, screws or force to remove the razor blades from the blade holder and blade clamp assembly.
However, all of the embodiments of the preferred invention overcomes all of the above shortcomings and provide a unique non-tool blade holder and blade clamp assembly that is moved to a second open position to easily remove razor blades there from as the blade holder and blade clamp assembly is unclamped from a clamping slot in a portion of a second pivoted handle member. This unclamping is achieved by an O-ring and screw assembly of the blade holder and blade clamp assembly and the clamping slot in a portion of a second pivoted handle member. Also, none of the prior art patents teach the unique sliding spring-biased detent storage tray for replacement razor blades solely within a handle grip cover and not in the body of a cutting device or tool.